Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-24
ARRIVAL OF THE CHOLERA.

ship from Naples with several hundred
passengers, among whom Asiatic cholera is
prevailing, will create alarm. If the pas
sengers could be sequestered upon some
remote island or cape, their entire baggage
burned, and the ship destroyed, the cost
would be gladly footed by New York and
the result might be the stamping out of the
disease.
1t must be assumed that every possible
precaution will be taken to stay the pest
and prevent its spread. But the news of
the rariyal emphasizes the fact that the
means Of communication by ship with
Europe are 50 numerous and easy, that we
are exposed daily to the liability of having
the terrible scourge introduced into the
country and especially since we have not
as we should, closed our ports against the
commerce Of infected points.
1t would seem that with the knowledge
OF the prevalence of cholera in Mediter-
eanean sections, our authorities have been
very neglectiul of duty in not warning
ships from such places to keep clear and
in not meeting incoming passenger vessels
outside Of the great harbors and providing
for their quarantine in other than the
usual places. For to the regular quarantine
grounds will come other ships, the crews
and passengers of which may become in
fected and thus disseminate the disease
throughout the country. Peru closed her
ports early last spring against ships from
infected ports and they remained closed
until June, but they were even then only
opened subject to medical inspection of all
ships Offering TO enter The result was
Peru quite escaped visitation of the pest.
while Chile pursuing negligent policy
suffered.
Cholera appeared in October, 1886, in
Buenos Ayres, and spread over a great part
of the South American continent. Buenos
Ayres has intimate commercial relations
with the south of Europe and Italy, and
it is altogether probable that the disease
came in with immigration from those sec
tons, though that is not positively known.
When it appeared in Buenps Ayres last
fall, gastritis, gastro-entritis entero-colitiS.
dysentery and cholera morbus were mani
Testing themselves, and the summer heat
was just beginning. In the same month,
October, two ships, suspected of bringing
the cholera, arrived from Italy One. the
Orion, was disinfected IT Mouteyideo, and
the other, the Perso was not detained or
inspected because. she had as 4 passenger
dignitary of Italy. The quarantine
grounds of Buenos Ayres are OF the worst
possible character, surrounded by low.
marshy soils, stagnant ponds, and the filth
OF the city drained to that place 1t was
just the spot in which to breed cholera,
and it spread from sailors there quaran-
tined. In November it crossed the Andes
and December 18th made rs appearance
on the Pacific slope. By the 9TH of .Ianu-
airy Ia cases developed and 81 deaths en-
sued in the first town it visited. 1t is still
feared, says the SanitaricR, that it NAV
make its progress northward to Panama.
With this danger of assault on the
south, the attack begun on the east, the
threat in the Asiatic quarter on the west
and the prevalence of the disease in Sicily |
and Mediterranean ports generally and
in Calcutta, with all of which we have in |
innate commercial relations, if We escape
II, it viii be miraculous. And if we do. it |
will not he because of any vigilance we
have exercised. If we could be brought |
to deem the security of the people from |
this dread pest superior to the greed or
necessity of commerce, America could be
insured against its assault.
For instance, when it was known, as it has |
been for weeks, that certain European
ports were infected, had the Government |
followed the example of Peru and have
closed all her ports against the commerce !
OF those places, this ship load of cholera
from Naples could not have arrived. |
When, two years ago, we were threatened |
with smallpox and a deadly fever from
Mexico the policy adopted was to permit
our traders to sail their ships in and out
and trundle their earsoes about the streets
after pretense Of fumigating. How much |
better to have done as Italy did four years |
ago; say to trade, Stop for asseason-life,
protection OF the people, and of trade
itself from the horrors of the plague stand |
before the privilege Of immediate COM
merce with foreign ports" But we are |
essentially trading people and win con
tinue in the foolish policy of shipping in
disease and then endeayoring to choke it |
10 death in quarantine.
If unfortunately the cholera gains !
foothold in this country the two essentials
to he observed are, first, cleanliness; sec
ond, GOODNESS Of mind, self-posscssion. Fear
that prostrates, that relaxcs physical vigor !
and excites the nerves invites the disease. |
Cleanliness includes not only that OF COM
munities and hou es, but Of person. 1t |
must be enforced, and before the need for
1t no personal right can be permitted to
stand for moment One-half the terrors
of 4 plague are dissipated if mental equan-
unity is preserved. We should make no
coneealments, should understand the facts
learn all the truth, and set about to meet
ii with determination to resist and defeat |
it. This will-power and determinednes, is
half the battle won in such emergencies.
Allaying fear by concealing the truth as |
to the disease, It's march and It's terrible !
character, is the worst possible policy to
adopt, for when it does come to communi-
ties where calm is the result of Ignorance |
and eoncealment, the horrors of the assault
are aggravated tenfold. Such commupi-
ties are unprepared physically or men
tally to contest the way with the DESTROYER.
and he has an easy victory in consequence.
The right thing to do, therefore, is to
keep ourselves thoroughly forewarned that
we may be forearmed, and that intelli-
gence, which is always first factor in any